I don’t want to conjecture too long about what’s going on with Kanye. I don’t know if it’s a mental break, narcissism, a prolonged cry for attention, the residual effects of grief, I’m not sure. But I do know that the opinions he’s expressing, these free thoughts that he’s sharing, are not free, they’re classic conservative ideals that will continue to place blame on the oppressed, without holding the oppressors accountable for anything they’ve done. With a platform like his, with skin like his, representing the community he does, Kanye’s thoughts are not only annoying and ill-conceived, they’re dangerous.

Left: Van Lathan Right: Kanye West

The idea he shared today of slavery being a choice was perhaps the most alarming one to date.

“When you hear about slavery for 400 years. For 400 years? That sound like a choice. Like, you was there for 400 years and it’s all of y’all. It’s like we’re mentally imprisoned. I like the word prison. Slavery goes too direct to the idea of Blacks. Slavery and Holocaust. Holocaust Jews, Slavery is Blacks.”

Thankfully, there was someone in the place, TMZ reporter Van Lathan to say what we’ve all wanted to say to Kanye for some time now. And the most powerful thing about it is that he did it with love and honesty. Check out the full interview on TMZ below.